Movable target device



March l, 1955 l... J. T. FLORY MovABLE TARGET DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb.l 25, 1954 March l, 1955 L. J. T. FLORY MOVABLE TARGET DEVICE Filed Feb. 23. .1954

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 yc/N lf. FLORY ffffwmfxw United States Patent MOVABLE TARGET DEVICE Lucien J. T. Flory, Rocheville, France Application February 23, 1954, Serial No. 411,789

Claims priority, application France February 23, 1953 3 Claims. (Cl. 273-1052) The present invention has reference to changes or irnprovements in a movable target device for the practice of shooting, as described in my prior Patent N o. 2,65 8,759 of November 10, 1953, adapted to substantially reproduce actual conditions such as are encountered during normal shooting when a real bird takes oil or ies away.

An object of the present invention is to provide a device of the aforesaid type comprising an underframe or sub-structure composed of a pair of rail-like guiding members held inclined with respect to the ground, a movable supporting unit carrying the target and mounted transversely between these guiding members, a tractive cable preferably actuated from a motor controlling the movement of this unit along the guiding members, the target being so mounted as to be shiftable transversely ot' said guiding members on the movable unit, and a reversible device carried by the movable unit and operat ing the transverse movement of the target.

According to other objects of the present invention, the guiding members are formed by a pair of inclined and parallel carrier cables held taut between the tops of posts and the ground, the movable unit supporting a target holder being arranged transversely of said cables upon which it rests through the medium of pulleys which permit an easy displacement of said unit.

Another object of this invention is to provide a reversible electric motor adjacent the lower end of one of the guiding cables for controlling the motion of an endless traction cable which passes over a jockey pulley tted on the top of the corresponding post and has one of its strands engaging a member carried by the movable unit so as to ensure its sliding motion along the guiding cables when the traction cable is actuated by said motor.

According to further objects, the movable unit includes a pair of side supports abutted through the medium of pulleys on the guiding cables and connected by a pair of transverse steel wires which support the target holderwhile guiding the latter during its motion responsive to an endless traction cable which passes on jockey pulleys and is operated by a reversible motor mounted upon one of the side supports of the movable unit. These transverse steel wires also serve for driving on its carrier cable the oppositely located side support with respect to the support to which a strand of the traction cabe is connected.

According to yet another object, one of the steel wiresl extending transversely and maintaining the target holder bears on arms pivotally carried by the side supports of the movable unit so that said arms operate, when the target reaches one of its end positions (in the transverse direction) increasing the tension in the wire and rocking mercury switches adapted to reverse the rotational direction of said motor supported by one of the side supports and operating the transverse movement of the target holder so as also to reverse the direction of movement of said target holder.

Other features of the present invention will appear more fully hereinafter in the following description which refers by way of example and non-limitatively to an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the underframe or sub-structure of the improved movable target device;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view drawn to a larger scale showing the arrangement of a portion of the movable unit carrying the target;

2,703,240 Patented Mar. l, 1955 ICC Fig. 3 is a wiring diagram showing the electric circuits operating the transverse motion of the target; Fig. 4 is a view showing on a larger scale a manually perating contacting switch utilizable with the improved evice;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic detail view of the control device for the central reversing switch; and

Fig. 6 is a front elevational view of the toothed cam disc included in said control device.

Reference being lirst had to Fig. l, the underframe or sub-structure tor the movable target device for prac-A ticing shooting or marksmanship comprises a pair of posts 1 from the upper ends of which extend guiding cables or rails 2 which are inclined and anchored to the ground at their distal ends by pegs 3. Adequate steadiness of the posts 1 is ensured by means of tensioning cables or guys 4 extending in a direction Opposite to that of the guiding cables 2 and anchored to the ground by pegs 5'.

The guiding cables 2 jointly form an inclined guide along which is displaced a movable unit designated generally by reference character 6 and serving as a support for the target holder 7. The movement of this unit 6 along the guiding cables 2 is effected by an electric motor 8 arranged on the ground in the neighborhood of the peg 3 for one of the cables 2, said motor actuating an endless traction cable 9 passing over a jockey pulley 10 mounted upon the corresponding post 1 adjacent its top end and secured to one element of the movable unit 6.

The movable unit 6 is represented in detail in Fig. 2. lt comprises a pair of side support carriages "11 resting upon the guiding cables 2 by means of pulleys 12. Each side support carriage or bracket 11 includes an arm 15 which is stationary and downwardly extending and an oscillatable lever 14 which is upwardly directed and is pivotally supported at 15 and urged to normal position by a spring 16. The arms 13 or' the side supports are connected by a steel supporting wire 17. Another steel wire 18 interconnects the two support carriages 11 while passing on pulleys or rollers 19 on the oscillatable armsv 14. As shown in Fig. 2, the target holder 7 is slidably mounted on these wires 17 and 18 by means of guides 20. The distance between the supporting wires 17, 18 is larger than the vertical spacing or the guides 20 for the target holder 7 so that as the target holder 7 approaches either of the supports 11, the tension in the wire 18 is increased and exerts a downward force on pulley 19 which rocks the lever 14.

The side support carriage 11 shown in Fig. 2 carries at its lower end a reversible electric motor 21 which actuates a driving pulley 22 on which is engaged a traction cable 23 secured at its ends to the target holder 7 and engaging a jockey pulley 24 mounted upon the arm 13. The other side support (not shown) carries a pair of jockey pulleys opposite pulleys 22 and 24 over which the cables 23 passes. Thus, as will be easily understood, the motor 22 through cable 23 imparts to the target holder 7 a transverse movement on the wires 17 and 18 of the movable unit 6.

The electric motor 8 which controls the movement of the movable unit 6 along the guiding cables 2 is operated through an electric circuit of very simple nature which does not require description in this text. The motor 8 is of the reversible type in order to be able to bringthe target back to its lower iying oil position. The feeding leads for the motor 21 are arranged alongside the guiding cables 2 and cooperate with rollers or wipers carried by the movable unit 6.

The electric circuit which selectively controls the transverse movement of the target holder 7 and provides by kinetic combination with the longitudinal movement im# parted by the motor 8, a ying oil path of indirect'linel contour while imparting directional changes to the tar;

get, which changesv simulate the actual ying olf of a bird,`

comprising a glass, porcelain or like ampule containing` mercury and adopted selectively to provide interconnec-l tion between two of three contact studs provided respectively in the center and adjacent each end of said ampule.

In Fig. -3 the reversing switches 25, 26 are illustrated diagrammatically in their normal operative position to which they are resiliently urged, while they can be brought to the opposite position by the action of vthe rocking 'levers 14 of the supports 1'1 when the target holder 7 reaches either one or the other of its endpos'itions in the itransverse direction.

The contact `stud '27 of the `reversing switch 2'5 is connected by a lead 28 to the left hand side windingof the reverslble motor 21, while the VContact study '29 of this switch is connected by 'a lead 30 to the right hand side winding of the motor 21. The middle Contact stud 31 of .the reversing switch 25 is connected by a .lead 32 to ya side contact stud 33 belonging to a control reversmg switch 34 whose middle 'contact stud 51 is connected through 35 'to the kpositive terminall of a battery 36 which 1s grounded at37. Themotor 21'is also connected to the ground at 38. The Amiddle contact stud -39 of the reversmg switch 26 is yconnected lby a lead 40 to the other side contact stud 41 of the reversing control switch '34. Conn tact stud 42 of switch -26 is connected by a lead 43 to the right -hand side Winding of the motor '21, while its contact stud -44 is connected vby a lead 45 to the lead 32.

Control y'of the rocking switch 34'is effected by a toothed dlsc 46 (Flgs. 5 and Y6) keyed to a shaft 58 ,iourna'lled at 59 in a frame 60 and carrying a pinion 61 meshing with a smaller pinion 47 keyed upon 'the shaft of an irreversible electric ymotor v48 fed from a batterv 49 through a circuit including a switch 50. As is visible in Fig. 5, a lroicl'dng arm 62 angularly connected to the rocking reversing switch 34 and pivotally carried by the same axis as said 'switch 34 is elastically applied bv a spring 63 against the teeth and notches of the disc 46. The latter has its periphery formed `by a middle pitch or base circle 64 v(shown in broken lines in 4vFig. 6) from which inner notches and outer teeth extend to form camming projections. said teeth and notches extending between said pitch circle and circles 65 and k66 respectively, shown in dotted lines in Fig. -6. Depending upon the portion of the cam With which the arm 62 urged bv the spring 63 cooperates, the rocking switch 34 assumes themiddle position shown .in the drawing or is `rocked to the right or left as the case may be. The cam teeth extending from the periphery of the disc 46 are irregularly vspaced and their widths are of varying extent so that the rocking motion of the switch 34. the function of which is specified hereafter, lcannot be foreseen bv the person who shoots the target controlled vby the-cam disc.

The non-reversible lmotor 48 and the reducing ,gear

47,61 are adapted to cause the time interval reou'ired by the disc 46 to effect a complete revolution substantially `to exceed the time interval lduring which the target moves from one `end position to the other on the underfrarne or sub-structure.

The operation of this unit for the transverse control of the target holder 7 is as follows:

When the lfeeding circuit for the motor 48 is 'closed by switch 50. the motor revolves the disc 46. During its rotation, the disc 46 vholds the reversing switch 34 in its middle position as shown when the arm 62 rests upon a step .of the lpitch circle -64 of said disc or rocks it in the one or the other direction depending upon whether 'the arm 62 cooperates with an outer tooth or a notch of the disc 46. When rocking toward the left takes place. the reversing switch 34 closes the contact between the contact studs 33 and 51. A circuit is completed between the battery 36 and the ground 3R through the lead 35, the reversing yswitch 34, the lead 32. the reversing switch 25 between the Contact studs 27 and 31. the lead 23 and the left hand side winding `of the motor 21. The latter then drives the pulley 22 counterclockwise and consequently imoels the target vholder 7 towards the left transverselv of the guiding cables 2. When the target holder 7 :reaches the end of its stroke vtowards the left, the rocking'lever 14 rocks the switch '25. as described hereinbefore. The above-stated circuit through the left winding of motor 21 is then opened while a new circuit is completed from the lead 32 through the reversing switch 2S between the contact studs 31, 29, the lead 30 and the right hand side winding of the motor 21 -to the ground at 38. The target holder 7 is then driven in the other direction -until it has moved far enough away .from the left side support 11 to enable the spring 16 to return the lever 14 to lits initial position and Kallow the spring on switch 2S to shift switch 25 to open the circuit between contacts 29 and 31 (through right winding of motor 21) and close the circuit between contacts Z7 and 31 to energize the left winding of motor 21. The target iholder 7 is thus imparted a reciprocatory transverse motion which owing to its kinetic combination with the longitudinal motion imparted by the motor 8 causes the target .to be tiown ott in zig-zag fashion.

When the Vreversing switch 34 Vis .rocked to the right, similar circuits are alternately closed and opened by the action of thereversing switch 26.

The speed of revolution of the disc 46 is in terms of the feeding voltage for fthe -motor 48. Consequently by varying said voltage, it is possible to modify the rhythm of the zigzag motion of the target `by increasing or alternatively by diminishing the rocking periods of the rocking reversing switch 34 which produce a change of direction of the target.

During the actual use of the plant, an operator standing ina pit v52 (Fig. l) controls through different circuits (not shown), the operation ofthe motor 8 and vof 'the motor 21 so as lto bring back the target holder 7 towards him. He may thus change the target or the clay bird mounted upon said target.

Flying oifof the target lis trippediby a second operator who stands behind the marksman or on his side. This second operator advantageously uses to that effect a manually -operated contacting switch in the form o f pincers as shown in Fig. 4. This switch is made up of a pair `of arms v53, V54 pivotally interconnected at 55and carrying a pair of sets of contact points 56, 57. The contact points 56 carry two -leads which belong to the energizing circuits for the motors 21 and 48. The Icontact vstuds 57 are connected to the fcircuit serving -the motor 8. When the operator moves the arms jof the pincers toward -each other, the contact points 56 are first closed for tripping the operation of the motors A21 and v48 while causing a transverse `motion of the target as soon as the `control switch 34 is rocked in the one or the `other direction from its middle position. Before flying oli the target is preferably hidden behind a small wall, a curb of a transverse screen or `shield made Yfor example of a metal sheet. The marksman cannot see it at that time and cannot guess the direction and 'the extent of this preliminary transverse motion. When the operator exerts the full pressure on the pincers, the contact points 57 are Aclosed which triggers the motor 4v8 into action. The target then moves 01T the ground from a position of which the marksman is not aware until the time when it ies oif. The target thus moves in zigzag fashion as above stated. Considering that the respective speeds of the ytarget and the disc 46 are such that the target covers a complete stroke for a fraction of a revolution of the disc 46, the ymarksman cannot in any case know in yadvance the path or trajectory to be taken by the target.

.Minor constructional details may be varied without departing vfrom the ambit of the invention and the scope of the subjoined claims. Thus for example the electric wiring may be modified and means may be provided for automatically opening the `feeding circuits for the 'motor 8 when the target has covered a predetermined distance, automatic `braking imeans being also provided, .if desired.

Having described my invention, I claim:

l. A movable target device comprising a frame formed of a pair of lposts Sand a pair of inclined parallel guiding and carrying cables extending under tension one from the top of each post to the ground, a movable supporting unit comprising a pair of side support carriages, pulleys carried by said carriages for mounting the same on the guiding cables and two vertically spaced wires extending between the carriages transversely of the guiding cables, a target holder, .mounting means on the target holder slidably mounting the target holder on the trans verse wires for movement along said wires transversely of the guiding cables, 'a reversible electric motor carried by one of said carriages, an endless traction cable passing over pulleys on said carriages and connected to the target holder to transmit motion from the reversible motor on the carriage to the target holder, the spacing between said wires being greater than the vertical distance between the mounting means on the target holder so that the tension of the wires will `be increased upon the movement of the target holder from a position intermediate of said carriages toward either carriage, a lever pivotally mounted on each support carriage, means on each lever engaging one of said wires and operable upon a predetermined increase in the tension of the wire engaged to shift said lever, a reversing switch on each carriage, means on each lever for engaging the corresponding reversing switch, and circuit means interconnecting said switches and motor on the carriage with a source of electric energy.

2. A movable target device according to claim 1 further comprising a third reversing switch operable in one 10 position for completing circuits from the source to the motor through the reversing switchon one carriage, operable in another position for completing circuits from the source through the reversing switch on the other carriage to the motor and operable in an intermediate posi tion for braking the circuits to said motor, and means for actuating the third reversing switch in a predetermined sequence.

3. A movable target device according to claim 2 in which the means for actuating the third reversing switch comprises a cam follower carried by said third reversing switch,` a cam having a predetermined contoured cam surface engaging the follower, and means for rotating said cam.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

